Synonyms of sniffing

sniffing

verb

present participle of sniff

as in smelling

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose

a curious cat sniffing the flowers in the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• smelling
• inhaling
• snuffing
• whiffing
• scenting
• nosing
• breathing
• snorting
• drinking (in)
• respiring
• snuffling
• savoring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sniffing

Alaniz then detained her for a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted to the vehicle. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026

And security inside Alice Tully Hall, where the film premiered, was certainly tight—metal detectors, physical checks of bags, K9 bomb-sniffing dogs. — Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 28 Sep. 2026

Dogs and cats may be triggered by this distinctive smell and show unusual behavior when skunks are nearby, such as sniffing or pawing the dirt around the burrow or becoming more protective by growling or hovering near the entrance. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026

Though Leighton appears in front of their home at the end of the episode, the Dessens don’t realize that the MacNamara of their analog world has been sniffing around, too. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

But when the Orcs come sniffing, those same qualities transform him from fun-loving hobbit to fierce protector. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Vocal tics may range from throat clearing and sniffing to repeating words or sounds. — Michael Okun, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026

The 39-year-old, who has been arrested multiple times in Burbank and Glendale, was taken into custody on suspicion of violating terms of his probation from a previous arrest linked to sniffing women’s rears. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Less than a month later, he was arrested again after allegedly sniffing another woman’s butt at a Walgreens in Burbank. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026